Birding Opportunities
Watch the Birdies!
Opportunities abound to locate, watch, draw, and photograph birds in our region and throughout Oregon! Ten half-day, monthly field trips (September – June) are primarily geared toward novice birders, but everyone is welcome to participate. Three-day, regional field trips are scheduled each year during peak birding times. ASC members also participate in bird surveys, including the Christmas Bird Count and the Birdathon. Find birding hotspots by using the Birding Resources webpage.
Field Trips
Half-day field trips are scheduled on the second Saturday of the month from September through June. These trips are geared to people who want to learn more about birds by visiting locations in easy reach of Corvallis. Duncan Evered, a field ornithologist and educator with 40 years of experience, and local birder Caryn Stoess will lead these trips
Three- or four-day field trips from March to August have been led by Fred Ramsay for the last 50 years! He has retired, and other expert birders will now lead the trips to the best regional birding spots in Oregon. Travel is in rented vans, and we pool expenses, stay in comfortable motels, and enjoy meals at local restaurants. All levels of expertise are welcome to participate on these trips. Sign up is required.
* Apr 19-21: Klamath Falls area
* May 4-6: Rogue Valley
* May 16-19: Malheur NWR
* Jul 17-21: Wallowa Mtns
* Aug 15-18: Steens Mtn
* mid Sept TBA: S. Oregon Coast
Bird Counts
National Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is the longest running citizen-science survey in the world. Most of the 50 U.S states, Canada, Guam, and the Caribbean participate. The CBC is held between December 14 and January 5, inclusive, and each count lasts one day.
The other major ASC birding event is the Birdathon, which raises money for Hesthavn Nature Center. Put together a team or go solo, get people or organizations to sponsor you, then bird during an April weekend to be announced.
Birding Sites Around Corvallis & Albany
This guide was published in 2012 by the Audubon Society of Corvallis. Written and illustrated by two local naturalists, it lists sites near Corvallis and Albany that are publicly accessible and reliable places to see birds. Many other areas nearby also offer excellent birding. Ask another birder (clue: someone scanning the area with binoculars) for their favorite places to visit. Experienced birders cherish our local natural areas, and there are many convenient opportunities for beginners and visitors to learn and enjoy the local birds.
Inside the pamphlet, there is a map of the areas. Descriptions of 16 birding sites contain a key to type of bird (forest, wading, etc.) and whether mammals, wildflowers, amphibians, and reptiles can be found there. Wheelchair accessibility is also noted.
Corvallis and Albany birding sites pamphlet
Birding Resources
ASC welcomes many partners to help us spread our message to diverse audiences. In turn, we link to many of our partner websites to provide a convenient way to answer your questions without reinventing the wheel! Link to Birding (and other Natural) Resources and Links to Partners
Report an Injured, Rare, or Banded Bird
Bird Sightings
Posting your bird sightings provides a great opportunity for ASC members and prospective members to share the results of their birding adventures. Not only is this fun, it is also important data to monitor population trends and for early warning of changes. Birding Resources